Why Did Esquire Magazine Pick Gallup As One of the Most Charming Towns in America?

Charming is not a word I’d associate with Gallup

Out of all of the hip and trendy (and pretty) small towns that New Mexico has to offer, I am still scratching my head on this one.

Fifty-eight towns were offered up in a recent Esquire article titled, ‘Charming American Towns You Haven’t Heard Of But Should Visit ASAP’.

Among the other charmers are Hilo, HI, Harpers Ferry, WV, Eureka Springs, AR, Galena, IL, and Fredericksburg, TX.

And then there’s Gallup, New Mexico, sticking out like a sore thumb.

Founded in 1881, Gallup was one of those legendary ‘town meets America’ places when the transcontinental train hit the settlement. Route 66 reached Gallup in 1926, cementing its place in ‘Mother Road’ history.

Crime is the main deterrent to visiting Gallup. It’s not a place to take the kids. It has the highest violent crime rate of any city in New Mexico. Gallup’s rate is about five times the national average and twice that of Albuquerque.

You can attribute most of the problems to booze. Gallup borders the Navajo Nation, and the Hopi and Zuni Reservations are nearby, which are all dry. This brings mobs of Native American men of all ages into town to purchase and drink alcohol.

It was once thought that Native Americans were genetically pre-dispositioned to have an adverse reaction to alcohol. That fallacy has been debunked, but the myth remains. There is a saying that addiction is an equal opportunity disease.

Many who suffer from alcoholism and addiction were exposed to childhood trauma. For instance, many Native American children were torn from their families at a young age to attend boarding schools that sought to extinguish their culture.

At present, Gallup’s population is about 22,000. It is a culturally diverse city, with 44% of its citizens being Native American, 35% White, and 32% Hispanic or Latino.

What’s good about Gallup? Just east of the city, Red Rock State Park features the kind of landscape you see in old westerns — red sandstone cliffs and buttes and an archaeological footprint that dates back to A.D. 300. It’s the home of the Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial each August, a gathering of indigenous peoples from across North America.

If you’re into it, Gallup has always been a great place to score some beautiful Native American jewelry, pottery, and rugs. One such store, Richardson’s Trading Post, has been in business since 1913.

Located right on old Route 66 is the El Rancho Hotel. Hollywood actors like John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, and Humphrey Bogert frequented the hotel when making westerns in the famous landscapes of the Southwest. The hotel itself is ornate, if not downright kitschy, but an essential stop, at least for lunch.

One of the more interesting facts is that of old US 666. It ran due north from Gallup and was redesignated as US 491. The reason is evident with 666 having associations with Satan and devil worship. The highway was known to be cursed because of the number of fatal accidents on the road due to drunk driving. It is the main road to Window Rock, Arizona, which is the capital of the Navajo Nation.

Gallup has a better selection of hotels, but I’d rather have more time exploring the area around Grants, just 62 miles east on I-40. Sections of Route 66 run parallel to the Interstate, giving you a rare opportunity to drive on the original road.

Passing the Continental Divide and more red rock country, you’ll find the town of Grants practically surrounded by lava flows from thousands of years ago. There are two nearby national monuments, one where these ancient flows run miles and miles through a valley which is known as El Malpais. There you’ll also encounter the beautiful La Ventana Natural Arch, the second-highest arch in New Mexico.

On the other side of El Malpais is El Morro National Monument. A reliable waterhole hidden at the base of a lofty sandstone bluff made it a stopping point for hundreds of years. Ancestral Puebloans and Spanish and American travelers made the most of the water after days of travel on dusty desert trails.

I guess there are some redeeming qualities around Gallup, but I wouldn’t make it central to your trip. But really. We have Taos, Eagles Nest, Red River, Ruidoso, Chama — the list of quaint little towns is endless.

Or maybe charm is in the eye of the beholder?

More about travel and cities by Arthur Keith:

Your membership supports writers on Medium, and I receive a portion of those fees when you become a member using the link below. As a member, you have access to all of my content and that of thousands of others. It’s like creating your own feature magazine to read whenever and wherever you want!